fishing for some input/ideas

emraphoto

emraphoto

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so, some information gathering.

speaking with a fellow photographer, great guy with tonnes of talent. tonnes. he's a full-time, working photographer of the press/assignment/documentary side of town.

both of us have agency access/representation but truthfully, and i know some other folks with agency representation know where we are both coming from when the whole agency things becomes a hmmm? sort of affair. through exclusive agreements, producing what 'sells' for said agency, being added to a roster of 'contributors' who are essentially shooting stock (for lack of a better description). for context, i have no shortage of agency/filing opportunity yet i have flown without it for almost a year now. not sure if i see any future in it really?

fast forward

we are mulling about the 'collective' thing. instead though, we thought we would start running it much like a magazine. supported by archives, print sales, workshops, gallery relationships, editorial work etc. etc. if we are going to run our arses off we might as well be serving our own interests intellectually and monetarily.

so, perhaps you folks could start tossing forward thoughts on what you would be into seeing. what would draw you in as fans, curious folks and the often bored?

are there things that would make you consider a subscription?

we have two major caveats. although it's not written in stone, the writing is on the walls. local and regional is the realistic future beyond the cult of personality at the top of the industry ladder. this is not an impossible task, more of a challenge that leads to creative funding options.

secondly, we both have a bit of experience but with that said, it's a bit of trial and error right now. i am quite confident we/i will screw the pooch on occasion. i think a certain degree of interface is necessary. every class i teach, every workshop, every student i meet asks the same question, 'how do i move forward'. so, yeah. interface with audience. pass things on.

please feel free to flog other folks sites etc. here as examples of what you think works or you like enough to engage with.

thank you, sincerely, in advance.
 
are there things that would make you consider a subscription?...

are you thinking an internet/cyber product or paper and ink?
 
something educational...not preachy
medium length articles...too long and i lose interest...too short and i get frustrated when its over
lots of sample images
from a practical perspective so i can actually use the info
 
back alley said:
something educational...not preachy
medium length articles...too long and i lose interest...too short and i get frustrated when its over
lots of sample images
from a practical perspective so i can actually use the info
Click to expand...

thank you sir. the primary function would be to showcase documentary work/reportage but i do see practical information for photographers being a piece of the puzzle.
 
emraphoto said:
not feeling the energy to get into that here.
Click to expand...

OK.

I like the idea, in particular the educational aspect of it. In a way, it encompasses the whole chain from seminars with students, through actual assignments and real work, through its dissemination on the Internet through a site and archive and with a "flagship" print journal, all the way down to feedback and discussion of the work. In terms of workload, I think the biggest workload is the print publication, followed by a "community"-type site based on galleries (centered on the discussion and dissemination of images).

I was asking straight about the business model because this is usually the decisive factor in the end; it can be enormously stimulating to toss around ideas of good things one might do, but whether one continues doing the things after a year or two depends on whether it can support itself and feed you.
 
rxmd said:
OK.

I like the idea, in particular the educational aspect of it. In a way, it encompasses the whole chain from seminars with students, through actual assignments and real work, through its dissemination on the Internet through a site and archive and with a "flagship" print journal, all the way down to feedback and discussion of the work. In terms of workload, I think the biggest workload is the print publication, followed by a "community"-type site based on galleries (centered on the discussion and dissemination of images).

I was asking straight about the business model because this is usually the decisive factor in the end; it can be enormously stimulating to toss around ideas of good things one might do, but whether one continues doing the things after a year or two depends on whether it can support itself and feed you.
Click to expand...

of course my friend, of course.
 
It is not clear to me what form you are suggesting this would take. When you suggest a 'collective', I image that to be a limited number of individuals with a relatively focussed (narrow) set of interests. I am wondering if a smallish group will be able to come up with enough variety in order to sustain enough interest for people to buy subscriptions. I personally only buy publications if I have a specific interest in an article. There is such an avalanche of images out there, that something needs to be pretty unique for people to want to keep paying for it. On the other hand, if this collective would be a more open structure, attracting many contributors, how do you maintain quality and editorial integrity?
 
Here is what I would work for considering my own story from the last two years.
Presenting local and regional stories that are works in progress themselves.
Long term community projects that will take vision and time to complete.
Resurrecting communities, large urban gardening projects, Old railway to modern bicycle trail transformations, juvenile restitution programs.... etc.
Some local "Western world" stories with a positive start and finish.
Often these stories that get the little "puff piece" treatment could be so much more.
Only if tackled at an earlier stage by a journalist who is truly involved in the process.

It seems young PJ's/journalist like to get into the teeth of gritty stories because it brings the attention of editors and publishers who of course, can sell ad space next to such stories.
Anything that moves the ball in a more positive direction as far as what the public is hungry to consume is worthwhile to me as a photog and a consumer.
I want to see more constructive articles about what folks are doing to change for better. It's going on in communities everywhere. The press gives it next to zero attention.
The intersection of art and journalism has become mostly... delivering the black (as in ink). It would be really fresh to see some work from positive stories that is inspiring people into action rather than, delivering "the news".
Work that is interesting and keeps a viewers attention because they can identify what it means to them rather than, what it means to some far off place they will never encounter.

Thanks for reaching out for ideas John. I'm curious with what people post and very curious about the future of this project!

(please pardon all my rambling running sentences.. phone writing and all you know)

Cheers!
 
f16sunshine said:
Here is what I would work for considering my own story from the last two years.
Presenting local and regional stories that are works in progress themselves.
Long term community projects that will take vision and time to complete.
Resurrecting communities, large urban gardening projects, Old railway to modern bicycle trail transformations, juvenile restitution programs.... etc.
Some local "Western world" stories with a positive start and finish.
Often these stories that get the little "puff piece" treatment could be so much more.
Only if tackled at an earlier stage by a journalist who is truly involved in the process.

It seems young PJ's/journalist like to get into the teeth of gritty stories because it brings the attention of editors and publishers who of course, can sell ad space next to such stories.
Anything that moves the ball in a more positive direction as far as what the public is hungry to consume is worthwhile to me as a photog and a consumer.
I want to see more constructive articles about what folks are doing to change for better. It's going on in communities everywhere. The press gives it next to zero attention.
The intersection of art and journalism has become mostly... delivering the black (as in ink). It would be really fresh to see some work from positive stories that is inspiring people into action rather than, delivering "the news".
Work that is interesting and keeps a viewers attention because they can identify what it means to them rather than, what it means to some far off place they will never encounter.

Thanks for reaching out for ideas John. I'm curious with what people post and very curious about the future of this project!

(please pardon all my rambling running sentences.. phone writing and all you know)

Cheers!
Click to expand...

thanx Andy, great bit of insight there.

PS rambling is my favourite thing to do
 
CNNY said:
It is not clear to me what form you are suggesting this would take. When you suggest a 'collective', I image that to be a limited number of individuals with a relatively focussed (narrow) set of interests. I am wondering if a smallish group will be able to come up with enough variety in order to sustain enough interest for people to buy subscriptions. I personally only buy publications if I have a specific interest in an article. There is such an avalanche of images out there, that something needs to be pretty unique for people to want to keep paying for it. On the other hand, if this collective would be a more open structure, attracting many contributors, how do you maintain quality and editorial integrity?
Click to expand...

yes, a limited core group with an obvious set of interests/values. said limited core group is quite well connected to other core groups (of the assignment workload variety) so all in, new material is not an issue.

the openness and flow of material that results would be 'tiered'. what is officially from the core group would fit in separate from other 'contributors' and separate again from 'rising talent'.

thanx for the suggestions!
 
Turning things around a bit - when I read the first post, the following were my first initial thoughts:

It all sounds great, cozy and interesting - but primarily for you guys. What makes it worth it on the other (my) end of the stick?

What makes it unique ,special ect. for me and so much so that I would subscribe?
Can I get something out of it - that I could not get elsewhere?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that you don't have something here (you probably do), just thinking out loud really. Take it for what it's worth.

Define some of the above clearly - and then shout it from the rooftops.

I do applaud you for reaching out for any and all input, a very wise and sound decision in my book.

Hope it helps and good luck!

Cheers,

/Meakin
 
I think this kind of framework could work, but it stands or falls with the quality of the product. There are many magazines and websites and other publications out there with good enough images. What I think there is a shortage of are publications with a very clear focus. There is a propensity to stuff magazines with bloated imagery (quantity not quality). I always find it refreshing to see things that are well edited.
If you can consistently define your group's 'set of interests/values', issue after issue, you will attract readers as well as higher quality contributors. Less is more in this respect. People are willing to pay for uniqueness.
Are you expecting to edit by committee, or through a designated (outside) editor?
 
"are there things that would make you consider a subscription?"

Not exactly. AP and Reuters posts their stuff for free as do many great photographers. The only subscriptions I have are to Aperture and LensWork. Best of luck. P.
 
After reading your OP and some of RFF's member comments or suggestions I think you're on the right track for independence from an agency and I'd like to wish you success with this venture.

Best Jan
 
Too abstract.
Tell us again what you think you can offer those who subscribe in *one or two* sentences.
 
FWIW...noodle around LensWork. Brooks has several things going on and I think his approach is to make each one sustainable/profitable and not such a large segment of the enterprise that a downturn would be a "heart punch".

I'm sure you are not interested in recreating LensWork but may be able to glean some useful info.

Keep us posted and best of luck.

Bob
 
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